Til Death Do Us Part
by once within a dream
Summary: Christine chooses Erik over Raoul, realizing she has always loved the Phantom. Now only death can separate them...


'_Til Death Do Us Part_

* * *

"You aren't going to choose? Fine then. I'll choose for you!" said Erik, as his hand reached out towards the ebony casket holding the grasshopper. Christine immediately reached her hand out and grabbed his wrist. 

"How do I know that you are not deceiving me as you have done so many times before? The scorpion is a much deadlier creature than the grasshopper!" No matter how stern her tone was, she was deeply confused inside. What was she feeling for this living corpse? What had she felt for so long towards him?

"Christine, I have pledged my love to you! Why do you think I would try to deceive you now? If I could have your love, or you as my wife, do you think I would truly pass that up just for vengeance? It would be true bliss for me, Christine! Dear God, silly girl, I love you!" he said with utter desperation.

The young soprano stared into his unwavering eyes. There was anger, desperation, sadness, but above all, love. He was not lying. Oh, how could she have thought so low of poor Erik, her Angel of Music! He truly did love her, and with all of his heart! Why else would he have gone to such lengths to have her? Her choice was an easy one now. Oh, why hadn't she seen it from the beginning! It would have caused them both much less pain… If only she had known. She had never loved Raoul! Why, he had been only a cover up when such strong feelings… that of love and fear, had boiled up inside of her for Erik. She had been so confused. Now she understood! She loved Erik.

Christine looked down and to the side. "Erik, I have chosen." Gently, she placed his arm back to his side and glanced back up at him. He nodded once and then turned away giving her privacy while she made her choice. Without an ounce of hesitation, she reached out and turned the scorpion. A small smile crossed her face. There, it was done. The sound of rushing water began to fill her ears, and she out of the corner of her eye she saw Erik turn around in shock. She turned to face him also, the small smile still on her face. "I love you too, Erik."

The mask he wore covered all his face except for his eyes, which she saw widen with happiness, confusion, and mistrust. Christine understood though. Erik wasn't one to trust willingly. "Do you swear, Christine?"

She nodded once. "I swear."

All the hints of mistrust were gone from his eyes. "I believe you."

Christine took let out a deep sigh of relief, then looked up at him with the smile on her face widening. Slowly and silently, she walked over to him as if not to scare him away. Her hand reached up and gently touched the side of his mask. She saw his eyes close under her touch, even though she was sure he could feel nothing more than some gentle pressure. Her fingers slid underneath the mask and just laid there for a moment, seeing if Erik would object or not. When he didn't, the soprano slipped the mask off and stared into his face, his death's head no longer bothering her for some unknown reason.

Erik expected her to scream, run away, or take away her vow of love for him, anything but what she did do. With his eyes still closed and his head turned slightly away, he felt two gentle fingers turn his chin so he was facing straight ahead. Then, out of no where, he felt a sensation he had never felt before.

Christine had kissed him.

She kissed him so gently it was as if a feather had brushed against his lips. He felt no resistance from her. Christine wasn't kissing him out of pity. It was out of love!

Hesitantly, he began to kiss back unsure of what to do. It was a light, loving kiss, and he didn't want to ruin it. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

"Christine!" a too familiar voice called. "Christine the water is rising! It's past our knees now, and it shows no signs of stopping! Please help!"

She pulled away slowly, as if not to ruin the moment. She still held his mask in her hand. "Erik… will you please release them for me, or at least shut the water off?"

Erik nodded once, releasing her then walking over to the scorpion and turning it in the other direction. The flow of water abruptly stopped. "There, my darling," he said, turning to look at her. "Do you still wish for me to release them?"

Christine nodded once.

"Very, well," he said, walking over to the door of the torture chamber. "Only for you." He cast one glance at her before unlocking the door and opening it. Some water along with gunpowder flowed out, but Erik paid no mind to it. Without saying anything to his prisoners, he turned and began to walk back to his fiancé.

A gun shot ran through the air. Erik's eyes widened in shock, and his face contorted in pain before he fell to the ground in a heap, his cloak billowing after him.

For a moment, Christine was too stunned to do anything. She started shaking her head. "No, no, no," she murmured. "It's not true," she continued, stumbling toward her fallen love. She dropped to her knees beside him looking at his blood soaked back, but not believing her eyes. "Erik… Erik… You aren't dead. Are you? No. You're merely hurt." The soprano took hold of his shoulders and turned him around so he was no longer lying face down. Eventually, she had his long, skinny body turned face up. His eyes were closed. She stroked his face gently. Silently, a tear slipped from her eye.

Another.

Then, another.

Then, Christine was bawling, gripping onto her beloved's shoulders for dear life. She shook her head wildly. "You can't be dead!" she wailed, holding onto him.

"Christine," she faintly heard a voice calling her name. "Christine."

She looked up tears still falling from her eyes to see two figures standing before her.

"Christine, we must go." One of the figures held out a hand towards her. She shied away gripping onto Erik tighter.

"No," she replied quietly.

"Christine…"

"No! I will not go away from my Erik!"

"We must go," one of the voices repeated.

"Go then! Leave me alone."

"No, Christine, I won't leave without you." The soprano began to recognize that voice. It was Raoul.

She looked up again, barely able to tear her eyes away from her Angel of Music. "Raoul… if you truly love me, leave me. I need to be alone. I promise I'll return to you eventually." Her voice was calm and steady for one who was on their last shred of sanity.

"But, Christine…"

"Please, Raoul. If you love me..."

She saw him take a deep sigh. "Very well… I will be expecting you soon, my darling."

Christine nodded to him. "Thank you." Immediately she looked back down at her beloved Erik, her heart throbbing, threatening to break into tiny pieces. She heard to pairs of footsteps retreating and exiting the house by the lake. None of it mattered to her though. Her true love, the love of her life was gone. Gone forever. She had no reason to live any longer… The tears that had just stopped began to start again with a vengeance.

After an eternity to Christine, the tears refused to fall. Her head felt light, and she was exhausted emotionally. But, she knew she had one thing left to do.

Gently, she wrapped Erik's arm around her shoulders and lifted him up. Christine walked towards his room with him in tow. Luckily, he had left the door ajar in his rush to see her decision for otherwise she doubted she would have been able to enter his private area. Leaning him against the table that held his coffin up, she opened his sleeping area. The red satin inside looked comfortable, and there was just enough room for two.

With all the strength the poor girl could muster, she brought him up and laid him inside the coffin. Sighing, she rested for a moment. Erik may have been light to most men, but she was just a tiny girl. Should she really go through with this? Of course! How could she think to change her mind? What was there to live for anyways if Erik was gone? She climbed up and laid next to him, placing his arm around her and her hand with the ring he had given her on his chest.

Christine then reached up and closed the coffin, locking it, never to come out again.

**The End.**


End file.
